1241 — Muhammad ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Qasim informed us; he said: Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yaqub informed us ⦗750⦘; he said: My grandfather Yaqub narrated to us; he said: Ahmad ibn Ishaq al-Hadrami narrated to us; he said: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us; Abu Naamah al-Sadi narrated to us; he said:

“We were with Abu Uthman. We praised Allah and supplicated, and I said, ‘I am more pleased with the beginning of this matter than with its end.’ He replied, ‘May Allah keep you steadfast.’

“We had been with Salman, and we praised Allah, supplicated to Allah, called upon Him, and remembered Him. I said, ‘I am more pleased with the beginning of this matter than with its end.’ Salman replied, ‘May Allah keep you steadfast. When Allah created Adam, He wiped his back and brought forth from him all those whom He would bring into existence until the Day of Resurrection. He then recorded their lifespans, provisions, deeds, wretchedness, and felicity. Thus, whoever knew felicity performed good deeds and attended gatherings of goodness, while whoever knew wretchedness committed evil and attended gatherings of evil.’